Mae Among the Stars

Young Mae dreams of becoming an astronaut and visiting the stars in this lovely picture-book debut from expat Norwegian author Roda Ahmed and first-time illustrator Stasia Burrington. Her parents offer her words of encouragement, telling her that if she can dream of something, believe in something, and work hard toward something, she can do anything she wants. Hurt when her teacher tries to redirect her ambitions toward nursing - something suitable, apparently, for "someone like her" - Mae is once again reassured by her parents. Eventually, following their advice, she dreams big, believes in herself, works hard, and becomes the first African-American woman astronaut to reach space...

A sweetly inspirational book, one suitable for the show more younger picture-book audience, Mae Among the Stars is less of a biography than it is a collection of anecdotes from its subject's childhood, organized around the central theme of following your dreams and working to make them a reality. There is an author's afterword that gives more information about Mae Jemison. Having seen this one read at story-time (by the author), I can attest to the fact that it is engaging. It is also beautifully illustrated. My favorite scene, visually speaking, was the one in which Mae dreams of floating amongst the stars. Recommended to anyone looking for simple picture-books about astronaut Mae Jemison, or for children's stories about pursuing one's dreams. show less

This picture book is about Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space. The book centers on her childhood and how she dreamed of seeing the Earth from space. Her parents are very supportive, and say if she can dream it, work hard for it, then anything is possible. I really like that her parents add "working hard" because it is honest. At school, the children say what they want to be when they grow up, and Mae says an astronaut. The other kids laugh and her teacher suggests being a nurse instead. I really keyed in on this part, as someone who wants to be in that position. Luckily for us, Mae's parents did not let what the teacher said crush Mae's dreams. But it really made me cringe, and reminds me to take the role of teacher show more very seriously. There is great power in our words, and we need to use them to build children up, not tear them down.
Mae went on to Stanford, got her MD and then joined NASA. Her dream came true.
This book can be used in a unit on space and our journey into space. I also think it is important to show women, African Americans and other marginalized groups in historical and science roles. show less

Mae has a dream to one day see Earth from outer space. Her parents encourage and support her, guiding her in the ways they can help her achieve her dream. When she shares her dreams with her class, she is made fun of and told to pick something that suits her more, such as nursing. This does not discourage her and from the continued support from her family she becomes the first African American woman in space. Mae never defers from her dream, as the sotry goes on the reader sees Mae grow in confidence and work harder to accomplish her dream. The illustrations in the book are lively and would appeal to children. This story does a great job at addressing the issue of sexism, in a way that is simple and easy for kids to understand. I liked show more how the author did not just come right out and say that the kids thought she couldn’t be an astronaut because she is a girl, but more alluded to it. This is beneficial in asking kids questions and kind of gaging what they know and what personal experiences they may already have dealing with the issue. show less

I love Mae Jemison, and so I was very excited about this book. The illustrations are beautiful, and dreamy, setting the tone of the book and it's message of following your dream. The writing was disappointing and the focus of a young girls dream rather than a young woman's hard work was a let down.

Such a powerful message in this book. Mae is a young black girl who aspires to be an astronaut when she grows up. She talks about it, dresses up like it, and even has real dreams about it. When Mae goes to school, her teacher asks the class to say what they want to be when they grow up. The other students say traditional jobs and when it is her turn, she tells the teacher she wants to be an astronaut, but the teacher thinks she should be nurse instead. Mae ends up growing up and becoming a real astronaut. I loved reading this. This shows children that even if people do not believe in your dream, if you “dream it, believe it, and work hard for it, anything is possible,” which is the main theme in the book. The author uses that line show more three separate times, which I think is because she wants it to resonate with children reading. I loved the illustrations as well, very detailed. show less

Mae Among the Stars is a children’s picture book biography written by Roda Ahmed and illustrated by Stasia Burrington. It was published by HarperCollins books in 2018. It is most suitable for children ages 4-8. I enjoyed this book a lot and think that the message it sends is something all children would benefit. This book is about a little girl named Mae who dreams of becoming an astronaut. Her parents always encourage her and tell her that if she believes it and works hard for it, anything is possible which is the message the book sends. This book is based on Dr. Mae Jemison, a real woman astronaut -the first African American female astronaut and then the first African American woman in space. It loosely told her story in a way that show more was engaging and inspiring to children and I like the page at the end that tells about the real Dr. Mae and her story, education, and the firsts she accomplished. I also liked the images in this book because although they were quite simple they enhanced the story and fit the mood. For example, you see young Mae learning about space from books and creating her own astronaut suit and helmet from supplies at home. On one page, after her teacher has suggested that perhaps another profession would be better, Mae looks very gloomy and the illustrator utilized cold blue and gray colors to emit her disappointed mood to the readers. show less

This is an inspiring story about a little girl who wanted to dance in the stars. It’s about following your dreams and your passion and blocking out the nay-sayers. This is a good rule to remember for anyone who wants to follow his or her dreams.

Dr. Mae Jemison was the first African American woman to travel in space. Mae dreamt of going into space, even as a little girl. Fortunately Mae had the love and support from her parents.

Favorite line- (Mae’s mother and father) “If you dream it, if you believe it and work hard for it, anything is possible.”

As a retired teacher I would love to say her teacher fell the supportive category too but she didn’t. Read the story to find out what Mae’s teacher told her and how her classmates show more treated Mae.

Many dreamers would have cast their dreams aside if they were in Mae’s shoes but not our Mae. Mae traveled to space on the shuttle, Endeavor. I call that mission accomplished!

Stasia Burrington’s illustrations include nice pleasing colors, except when Mae is sad. That double page spread is blue-toned watercolor shades with no other colors except white and black. I love the sweet, simplistic faces the artist uses to capture the character’s feelings. There are many double page spreads to put you in the story. show less